The Swill Brook forms part of the northern boundary of the parish.
History
A settlement of 28 households at Wochesie was recorded in Domesday Book of 1086.[2] There was a church at Oaksey in the 12th century, and in 1377 there were 86 poll tax payers.[3]
Norwood Castle is an earthwork about 0.6 miles (0.97 km) north of the village at Dean Farm. It may be the remains of a Normanmotte-and-bailey castle.[3]
An early manor house, near the church, was in ruins by 1593. Oaksey Park House, a three-storey manor house, was built in the early 17th century, possibly for Sir Henry Poole. It was demolished in 1956.[3]
Parish church
All Saints Church, Oaksey
The Grade I listed[4]Church of England parish church of All Saints[5] existed by the first half of the 12th century, and the nave walls of the current building may date from that time.[3] In the 13th century the chancel was rebuilt and the three-bay south aisle was added, along with the south porch.[3] The Decorated Gothic[6] north porch was added in the first half of the 14th century.[3] The five-bay Perpendicular Gothic[6]clerestory was added in the first half of the 15th century.[3] Further Perpendicular Gothic additions were made early in the 16th century: the south aisle was extended to form the south chapel, new windows were inserted in the north wall of the nave, the third stage of the tower was added.[3]
A number of wall paintings were painted in the church either in the 15th century[7] or early in the 16th century.[3] Those that survive today include a painting of Saint Christopher with a mermaid,[8] one of Christ surrounded by instruments of torture as a warning to Sabbath breakers[7] and a badly damaged one of Saint Edmund.[7]
In 1553 the tower had three bells, one of which had been cast at Worcester.[3] In 1773 these were replaced by a ring of six new bells cast by Thomas Rudhall of Gloucester.[3] In 1960 the ring was recast by John Taylor & Co of Loughborough.[3]
Amenities
Oaksey has a pub, the Wheatsheaf Inn.[9] A village hall was opened in 2000.[10] Oaksey has primary school, a shop and Post Office, a cricket club, a football club which plays in the Cirencester and District League and a branch of the Women's Institute.
Oaksey Park Airfield (ICAO code EGTW) has two grass runways[11] and is operated by Austen Aviation Services.[12]
The Golden Valley Line between Swindon and Cheltenham was built across the parish in 1841. Between 1929 and 1964 there was a small station (Oaksey Halt) adjacent to the bridge carrying the road to Somerford Keynes over the line. The nearest station still in operation is Kemble, about 3 miles distance by road.
Baggs, A. P.; Freeman, Jane; Stevenson, Janet H. (1991). Crowley, D. A. (ed.). Victoria County History: A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 14: Malmesbury hundred. pp. 176–186.